Steering adaptor assembly for outboard motors



g- 2, 1955 s. E. SCHROEDER 2,714,362

STEERING ADAPTOR ASSEMBLY FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed May 28, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g' 2, 1955 s. E. SCHROEDER 2,714,352

STEERING ADAPTOR ASSEMBLY FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed May 28; 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m uj I 13 EZJjflLZfU/ 6771027, (g/gjc/wjacdap United States Patent STEERING ADAPTOR ASSEMBLY FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Simon E. Schroeder, Oshkosh, Wis. Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,402 4 Claims. (Cl. 115-18) The present invention relates to steering mechanism for outboard motors and more particularly to a novel adaptor assembly for mounting upon an outboard motor and adapted to be attached to the ends of the tiller rope whereby the operator may most eifectively steer the boat from a remote position forward of the motor.

Among the objects of the present invention is the pro vision of a novel steering means and mechanism for an outboard motor.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a novel adaptor assembly susceptible of being readily and easily mounted on an outboard motor and provided with tension arms or members adapted to be connected to the tiller rope or cable for most etfectively and accurately adjusting the position of the motor and controlling steering of the boat.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a novel steering device for outboard motor boats including an adaptor for attachment to the outboard motor provided with a pair of resilient, rearwardly or outwardly projecting members each connected to an end of a tiller rope under tension with the tiller rope actuated by means of a steering wheel or control means in the boat and disposed forwardly of motor to permit remote steering of the boat.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel and simplified construction and assembly for adapting an outboard motor to remote control from a forward position in the boat.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of an outboard motor boat, to the outboard motor of which is mounted the novel steering mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the novel steering adaptor assembly removed from the motor.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the steering adaptor assembly with one of the detachably mounted resilient members or tension arms assembled in operative position and the other in the initial stage of assembly.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the steering adaptor plate or bracket mounted in assembled relation on the underside of an outboard motor, this adaptor plate or bracket being on a greatly reduced scale from the showing in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical cross section taken in a plane represented by the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the disclosure in the drawing and more particularly to the novel illustrative embodiment therein shown, the novel adaptor assembly is shown as comprising an adaptor plate or bracket 11 suitably attached to the underside of an outboard motor 12, and a pair of tension members or resilient arms 13 and 14 each shown formed of a flexible rod or of spring metal with its inner end 15 bent or inturned, its outer end formed or provided with an eye 16 and intermediate its ends provided or formed with a coil 17.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the inner bent or inturned end 15 is adapted to be received and anchored in an opening 18 of an upstanding lug 19 on one of the spaced legs 21 of the substantially U-shaped adaptor plate or bracket base 11. To retain each of the tension arms or resilient members 13 and 14 detachably but firmly anchored to the plate 11 as in Fig. 2, each leg of this plate is provided with an upstanding and inturned lug or projection 22 spaced rearwardly from the lug 19. Each lug or projection 22 is inturned to provide a hooked end 23 and so formed and spaced from the top surface 24 of the plate 11 as to conformably receive and retain the rod-like tension arms or resilient members 13 and 14 at a point spaced outwardly or rearwardly from the inner ends 15 and thereby anchor these resilient arms or members in the manner shown in Fig. 2 and in the upper portion of Fig. 3 where the arm or member 13 is disposed and anchored in operative position. In this position it resiliently but firmly bears against the lug 22 so that any movement accorded to the arm or member 13 is transmitted to the rigidity secured adaptor plate or bracket 11 and from it to the motor 12.

As shown in Fig. 3, the resilient arm or tension member 14 is in the act of assembly in which its inner bent end 15 is inserted into the opening 18 in the lug 19 and then with this end so anchored, the portion of the resilient arm or member 14 aligned with the lug 22 is forced over and snaps under this lug 22 and into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, where-upon this arm or member is detachably but firmly retained assembled in operative position.

As most outboard motors are provided with cap bolts spaced or coinciding with the spacing of the bolts 25 with which the present adaptor plate or bracket 11 is secured to the underside of the outboard motor 12, it is only necessary to remove these cap bolts and to substitute the somewhat longer bolts 25 in the openings in the upstanding wall or flanged portion 11 of the adaptor plate or bracket 11 to accommodate the thickness of the plate 11. When assembled in position, each attached or hooked end 26 of a tiller rope or cable 27 is connected to an eye 16 with the attached rope or cable sufficiently taut to draw and tensionally retain this end of the flexible arms or tension members 13 and 14 outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1 or to approximately the dotted line position of the arm or member 13 in Fig. 3, whereby to maintain these arms or members under tension. Each end or section of the tiller rope or cable 27 then passes through transom 28 at the rear of the boat 29 and over pulleys 31 and then forwardly along the sides of the boat and over additional pulleys 32 to a steering wheel or other steering control 33 mounted on a dash board or other readily accessible part of the boat remote from the motor, in the manner shown in Fig. 1 and as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 87,005, filed April 12, 1949, now Patent No. 2,627,833.

It will be seen from the present disclosure that the resilient arms or tension members retain the tiller rope or cable taut and most etfectively and promptly transmit any movement of the tiller rope or cable to the motor for easy and accurate steering control of the boat. The resilient arms or members 13 and 14 are identical in construction with only their position reversed in the ultimate assembly. These members being of similar construction and each formed of a resilient. rod or other suitable metal stock, they may be cheaply produced and quickly and easily assembled, disassembled. or replaced, when required.

As disclosed in Fig. 2, the adaptor plate or bracket 11 is so contoured on its upper surface 24 as to receive and retain thereon the inner ends of the resilient arms 13 and 14 and inclined or cammed at 34 to guide or direct these ends beneath the hooked upper end 23 of the lugs or projections 24. Furthermore, these resilient arms project'- ing away from the coil 17 are preferably bent at 35 and 36 so that the ends thereof lie in approximately the same substantially horizontal plane.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In combination, an outboard motor and mechanism mounted on said outboard motor and connected to a tiller rope for remote steering of an outboard motor boat, said mechanism comprising a plate rigidly secured to said motor and a pair of tension members each connected adjacent one end to the plate and its other end projecting to the rear of said motor and to which other end an end of said tiller rope is attached and drawn taut to exert a pull on said tension member, said plate being provided with spaced lugs one of which is provided with an opening for receiving the adjacent end of a tension member and the other adapted to overlie said tension member when in assembled relation for transmitting movement of the tension member to the plate and motor to alter the position of said motor for steering.

2. In combination, an outboard motor and mechanism mounted on said outboard motor and connected to a tiller rope for remote steering of an outboard motor boat, said mechanism comprising a bracket secured to said motor and a pair of resilient rod-like members each connected adjacent one end to the bracket and its other end projecting to the rear of said motor and to which other end an end of said tiller rope is attached and drawn taut, the end of each member connected to the bracket being bent, spaced projections on the bracket with each projection having a lug provided with an opening for the reception of this bent end, and a second lug on each projection of the bracket spaced from the first and having a part adapted to overlie a tension member for detachably anchoring said member to the bracket whereby when the bracket is assembled on said motor and said members are assembled on the bracket, a pull exerted on said tiller rope is promptly and effecend to a lug and bearing against the other lug and its other end attached to an end of said tiller rope, whereby a pull exerted on said tiller rope is transmitted to said motor through an arm and'thereby'altering the position of said motor to effect steering.

4. In combination, an outboard motor for a boat, a

steering adaptor assembly mounted on said motor and connected to a tiller rope for shifting the position of said motor and effecting steering of the boat on which the motor is mounted, said adaptor assembly comprising a base member rigidly secured to the underside of said motor, and a pair of resilient arms projecting rearwardly from the base member and motor and each arm mounted adjacent its forward end upon the upper surface of said base member with this end detachably mounted in an opening in the base member, retaining means on said base member for engaging and retaining each arm upon the base member and means for attaching the rear end of each arm to said tiller rope and thereby maintaining this rear end of each arm under lateral tension, whereby any pull on said tiller rope is positively transmitted to an arm and from said arm to said motor for altering the position of the motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 650,558 Hatch May 29, 1900 1,134,919 Sicklesteel Apr. 6, 1915 1,761,884 Gorski June 3, 1930 2,514,467 Black July 11, 1950 

